New Delhi: The government, on Tuesday, relaxed visa and travel restrictions for foreign journalists and their dependents, who left the country amid the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
The home ministry issued an order on Tuesday allowing journalists with J-1 visa and their dependents with J1-X visa to fly into India.
As per the new order, journalists and their dependents, whose visas had expired will have to obtain fresh visas from Indian missions abroad.
“It has been decided to permit foreign journalists holding Journalist (J-1) visa and their dependents holding J1-X visa to enter India...It has also been decided that the existing restrictions on incoming passenger traffic into India through the Immigration Check Posts will not apply in respect of these categories of foreign nationals,” the order from home ministry said.
The arriving passengers will have to adhere to the guidelines on quarantine issued by the ministry of health and family welfare.
On August 7, the government had allowed Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders from the United States, Germany, France and Kuwait with which India entered into an “air bubble” agreement.
Other foreigners have also been allowed to avail Indian visa facilities for business, medical and employment purposes.
In June, the government had relaxed visa rules for foreign engineering, managerial, design or other specialists travelling to India on behalf of foreign business entities located in India.
This includes all manufacturing units, design units, software and IT units as well as financial sector companies (banking and non-banking financial sector firms).
Foreign technical specialists and engineers travelling for installation, repair and maintenance of foreign-origin machinery and equipment facilities in India, on the invitation of a registered Indian business entity will also be eligible for the relaxed visa norms.
These could be for equipment installation, or is under warranty, or for after sales servicing or repair on commercial terms.
